Fallen Crown
by Zelgirl48
Summary: She was the princess and he was nothing. Despite having been through everything, they knew they could never have each other. As the news of Zelda soon having to choose a suitor emerges, it only confirms their separation.


**Author's note:** I'm finally back! To say the least, this has been a busy couple of months and I just have had no time for writing. However, I finally started this and needed to just get it done.

Now, if you've been interested in Bittersweet then listen up, and if you're not, then you can just skip this whole speech and start reading. Anyway, I wanted to let you know that I'm kind of indifferent about Bittersweet... it didn't go the way I wanted it to and I wasn't sure whether to continue it, edit the existing chapters, or completely redo it. I love the idea I had (and still have) in mind, but I don't love the way it started out. Now I've considered rewriting it and even using a new universe like Breath of the Wild, but I just wanted to get this one shot done with before any of that gets put on my schedule. So if you're interested let me know what your thoughts or ideas about Bittersweet are. You can PM me or leave a review on Bittersweet! Thanks for listening and I hope you can understand my little absence.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own The Legend of Zelda franchise or any of the characters!

I blow out the candle, allowing darkness to take over the home. It's cold, and I don't believe the warmth of this bed will ever compare to the warmth of _her_ or the warmth my heart let out as I gazed upon her. She was the sun, and for some reason I just had to go and extinguish it.

The woods are more quiet than I've ever remembered, with only the distant sounds of birds and the occasional frog or squirrel. Twilight had long since fallen and now the moon fails to give me the light the sun once did. I know I will not sleep this night, or perhaps many nights to follow. My throat begs to release another howl into the air. I haven't realised how long it's been since I changed.

It was a stupid decision, simply fueled by anger and perhaps sorrow. Even now I lay here with uneven breaths and my teeth clenched still begging to feel the adrenaline rush of a wolf: much mightier than that of a human.

I came to the realization a while ago that I had not prepared myself. Now what was I to do? The villagers here in Ordon haven't seen me for nearly months, so how was I to go about rebuilding yet another life?

The largest problem, however; was that now I had to live my days without my sun, shifting my twilight and leaving my bones frigid.

Why did I have to do this? What was the true purpose in the beginning? Was it to escape the reality of it all, to try and forget anything that happened or better yet, could have happened?

No, I know exactly what it was.

I close my eyes and run my hand through my hair, images surfacing of _her_. It was all my fault, everything was! But it was her fault too, her fault for believing this world was actually _fair_ and things _"Worked out!"_ Nothing ever worked out! This world was an unforgivable and cruel one from the start.

Why have the light, when the shadow will just be there to tempt it?

I let out a growl from deep in my throat, thinking of tearing off my clothing and running into the woods. This was what I needed! That little bit of freedom, that knowledge that I, a proud beast, could control nature as I held it in my grasp. Nothing stopped me in that form, nothing but the _damned sun_ that just threatened to try and warm me.

I jump out of the bed and I'm ready to take this road. This road where nothing matters. Hell, it all stopped a _long_ time ago.

Sounds of footsteps halt me. Rusl, I know it is. And he's about to see me like this, an absolute mess without a figment of what the hero used to be. Maybe I'm ready to see the world. No. A grin escapes my lips.

I'm ready for the world to see _me._

 ** _Earlier that day_**

"Princess!" I yelled again for her as her quick strides moved ahead of me. Finally she turned around to face me and I froze. Her face was stone and unreadable, Her eyes went from the warm water of Lake Hylia to a frigid ice. Everything about her was wrong.

"Princess." I went to reach for her hand, but she took a step back. She had been in a council meeting, I knew that, and I had waited for her guarding the entrance. She usually walked by and I'd catch up next to her, mocking the elder councilmen. Her laugh would sound and all tension would be released. But today was different. She opened the closed doors and instead of returning my smile, she dashed ahead, not even turning to look at me.

"Zelda, please." I had no idea what stirred these sudden emotions within her. The last time I saw her like this was after everything and Midna had...

"I'm sorry Link." Her voice was as stern as her expression and she turned back to rush into the castle. I didn't bother to follow her.

Instead, I went to the training ground and unsheathed my blade where I began to hack into the wood dummies sitting before me. I started to get angry with each slice. Angry at what, I wasn't quite sure. Myself? Finally I jumped up, executed a helm splitter, and the pumpkin head of the dummy had obliterated. I was shaking, standing in front of the dummy and I felt an itching down my back of something I had nearly forgotten.

Scanning the castle grounds, I retreated to the side of the courtyard where I knew there weren't any onlookers. The pouch was a small sack pulled taught at the opening. I released it and reached in, taking a deep breath as my finger wrapped around a rough surface.

I pulled it out and discarded the pouch, now gazing at the black stone with glowing orange embers. Midna had left it at the mirror when she left, and I kept it with me. I used to use it regularly after she left, back when I had no way of escaping my inner feelings, but then something, or some _one_ came along to change it all. She made me forget about it all, made me feel like I was a new man with a new purpose in life. However, lately it had felt like that purpose was slowly slipping away just as she was.

I closed my eyes and focused on the stone and the shadows it emitted from it. They were cool against my palm, beckoning for me to answer their calls. I slowly succumbed to it, allowing the shadow to take over my body. I struggled at first, I suppose due to the absent time spent.

I felt it slowly change me as I fell to my knees, and I grinned at that now comforting feeling of my bones shifting to their new form. Muscles pulled against my skeleton and it felt like releasing a knot that I never knew was in me. With the overwhelming flow of warmth that ran down my body, I knew it was finished and opened my eyes to see the ground so close to my eyes.

I couldn't seem to help it as I let out a howl that had been buried in my throat for far too long. It was a triumphant howl, one that showed that this part of me was not gone. It echoed through the trees and birds fluttered away upon hearing the strong noise.

I stretched my new and strong legs before bolting forward, into the trees.

Small critters bolted In my presence, proof that in that moment I was certainly a beast that controlled nature. A feared and unstoppable force that was either feared or honored. my paws pounded against the earth. I didn't even know where I was heading, but none of that mattered to me.

Oh goddesses, I forgot this feeling. The strong wind ran through my fur and the sight of trees and grass sped past my vision. I wasn't human anymore, but it felt so good.

finally after running for what seemed to be miles, I stopped a moment in a small patch with no trees. It was then that I heard a small snap. I may not have heard it if it wasn't for my acute senses in that form. It could have easily been another animal, but I knew too well that one wouldn't ever dare to come near me.

I planted my feet upon instinct and crouched low to the ground. There was another small noise, and another. Those were footsteps. I didn't turn around, but all of my senses were targeted to the one disturbance.

The noises stopped and I waited as small breaths hitched behind me. I was waiting for the one moment, the one hint of contact and I would retaliate.

Seconds seemed to become hours as I waited. Why wouldn't they just attack? They had "cornered the beast" as they say, so why wouldn't they act?

A small touch. That's all it was. Something had touched the fur on my back and every nerve was fired up to that one spot. In an instant I whirled around, letting out a snarl as I did so and bared my fangs. I was growling now, facing the intruder.

But something caught in my eyes despite my fight or flight instinct that kicked in. That dark robe, it was hers. The person had drawn back their extended hand and noticed my hesitation. That was what answered everything: The hand that was held out carried the symbol too familiar to my own.

 _Zelda_

My offensive posture melted away to a proud one. I stood tall on all fours and raised my head. She used her outstretched hand to lower the hood on her robes when she saw the recognition in my eyes. I wasn't ready to shed this form, but luckily my eyes still allowed me to communicate with her.

 _"I can always read your eyes_ ," she had told me a while ago. Of course, that always had its own disadvantage as hiding something from the princess was near impossible. Even now she saw the hurt from before in my blazing blue eyes.

She appeared tired when her face was revealed. Her skin seemed pale and her eyes weren't so bright anymore. She hesitated to bring her hand forward again, but I simply lowered my head. Of course I was still upset, but it was never to be directed towards her.

Her hand gently grazed the top of my head between my ears. I closed my eyes as I absorbed this feeling. Her hand was warm against my own fur and the way she just slightly rubbed her thumb behind my ear caused a tremble to run down my spine. She was so gentle around me, even in this state. I opened my eyes to find a soft smile on her face.

"I heard a howl earlier and knew too well it had to be you." Of course she did, she could have recognized that howl even in her deepest sleep. I was more so shocked that she took the time to chase after me after her closed off attitude earlier. My eyes flashed to hers and she lowered herself so she was sitting on the grass, but never pulled her hand away. I too sat on my back paws, still giving her a fierce stare.

"I followed you because I was worried about you," she said. I cocked my head slightly, but held my gaze.

"I-I'm sorry about earlier. It was nothing you did and you have no reason to blame yourself. It was my fault, I shouldn't have acted like that." Her hand softly glided down my nose and she curved it so she lifted my chin. I blinked a few times, but finally looked away. Then why did she act that way?

She released her hand once I moved my head away from her. Did she even know the effect she had on me? I was so confused when she acted so coldly before and now she came back just to apologise? I didn't know why she felt the need to do this to me. It wasn't even today that set me off, it was everything.

I noticed it a few weeks before when she wouldn't talk to me as much anymore. She used to tell me all about what troubled her, and I knew she trusted me enough to know I would help her feel better. Now it's like that trust just melted away, and after today when she just completely ignored me I knew my speculations were true. We had grown distant.

I couldn't stand to be so close to her and smell that usual clean scent. I started to walk away and I still hadn't heard her move an inch.

"Do you ever just wish you could have a different life?"

Her words halted me and I stopped in my tracks. I had no idea what she meant, but at the same time I knew exactly what she meant. I turned my head to see her still sitting and staring down at the grass. It wasn't until I saw something drip onto the ground that I slowly paced back towards her.

I silently placed my front left paw on her knee and she looked down at it. I widened my eyes as she thread her pinky through the last link of the chain hanging off of my ankle. I had grown too use to the usual iron shackle clinging to my ankle and the sound of the chain occasionally clanging together.

"I mean, look at us. I'm a princess who has already lost her kingdom once and you have lost so much too. I dragged you into this life." She pulled her pinky towards herself and my paw landed in her lap. A noticed another drop of water hit the Triforce marking in the fur. But it wasn't water at all, it was a tear.

I wasn't quite sure how to comfort her, especially when I still didn't know what was upsetting her. I slowly lowered myself until I was laying on the grass and placed my head on her lap. She gasped at the sudden movement and a faint blush even appeared on her cheeks. However, I watched as tears welled up in her eyes and she clenched them shut.

"I'm sorry Link." Her voice broke at the end. "I don't... I don't know what to do." A small sound escaped her lips and she bent down to burrow her face in my fur. I felt the warm tears against my body and I let out a small whimper.

Why was she the one apologizing for our lives? Of course there were moments where I felt like giving up, but I got through them. So why now? What caused her to sound like she wanted to give up all of a sudden?

I shifted my head a bit and she raised her own, wiping away her tears.

"I'm sorry, this is undignified of me." I raised my head from her lap and fixed my eyes on her own, giving her a cold glare. _Quit apologizing and tell me what's wrong._

Her eyes widened at my sudden change and she quickly looked away upon figuring out the silent message.

I never averted my own eyes however, and she turned back to face me. When she did, my breath caught in my throat. These eyes were not the eyes of Zelda, they were the eyes of the princess.

She gazed down at me long and hard until finally she spoke.

"I'm going to have to get married."

I didn't move an inch, apart from the twitch of my ears as I heard the last word. _Married._

It all made sense now. She gradually became more distant around the time I kept hearing the word "suitor" being used throughout the castle grounds. I had no idea what it meant so I asked a maid what a suitor was. She giggled when I asked and said they were noblemen coming to see Zelda. I assumed she was distant due to being more busy, but it was actually because she was going to get married.

"They told me today at the meeting," She said in a small voice. "I had been visiting with suitors, but had no intention of actually marrying one. And now they're forcing me to get married and choose someone by the end of the week."

I quickly sat up on my back legs again across from her. My heart felt like it was being crushed by a vice and my breathing became shallow. No, not my Zelda.

She was shaking now and I moved closer so my nose was close to her own. I had never seen her like this before. She was just... Broken.

"I don't love them. I _won't!_ " A sob escaped her lips and I gasped as she collapsed forward, her head falling against my heavy frame.

I wanted so badly to just hold her. I closed my eyes and felt as the shadows cloaked me again. My body grew slightly smaller as my muscles shrunk with my skeleton. It all happened in a moment and suddenly I was on my knees with my arms wrapped tightly around her, one hand rubbing her back while the other stroked her hair.

"Shh," I murmured into her ear, and rocked her steadily as she continued to sob against my tunic. Her arms clung to me as tight as possible, but I never minded.

"I know I know," I rambled on as her body trembled against my own. I had never wanted to see Zelda like this. She seemed so small in my arms and too innocent for everything she was being faced with.

I pulled away and cupped her face with my hands. Her eyes were clenched shut with tears that managed to escape down her cheeks. "Please Zelda, look at me." All I wanted to do was find a way to calm her down. I couldn't stand it anymore to see her like this. Why did everything have to crash down on her life so quickly after everything she had been through? Couldn't those damn councilmen just leave her alone for once?

"Zelda." She finally opened her eyes and looked up into my human eyes. Tears strolled down her face and I wiped away new ones with my thumbs. I was supposed to be her hero, but here she was crying and I couldn't do anything to stop it. It's not like I had any say in the whole matter. I thought about what she had said.

 _"Do you ever just wish you could have a different life?"_

Yes, I did. I did now at least. I wanted to have a life where Zelda and I weren't so different. I wanted to be able to help her and not have to stand idle as she tried to rule a country on her own. I certaintly didn't want to watch her marry some arrogant suitor without her having a single say in the matter. I wanted the two of us to just be normal.

She was drowning and I struggled to find a way to save her.

It all happened so fast. She was trying to hold back her tears and I had leaned in to hug her again, but something else happened. All of a sudden as I moved closer to her I found myself not able to take my eyes off of her. Then my lips found hers.

She was frozen, but never moved away until her eyes had gently closed. I closed my eyes again and pulled her closer to myself. I could feel her hands wrapping around me and she parted her lips under my own as if telling me this was right. The two of us never even realized when twilight fell.

We pulled away and she buried her face in my chest. I missed the feeling of her soft lips against my own already as I placed my chin on her head. I went back to rubbing her back gently and in that moment no words had to be spoken. Not even an explanation because we both already knew it.

She pulled back slightly and looked up at me with wide azure eyes. I gave her a gentle smile and smoothed down her hair. "It's getting late." She nodded her head and moved apart from me so we sat across from one another.

There was a moment of silence, and in that moment I wondered what she felt from that kiss. Did she not want to act like it happened? Perhaps it was ignorant of me to do it suddenly when she was going to get married. That word brought back a rage similar to the one I felt before I had even transformed into a wolf. I stood up quickly and offered my hand to help Zelda up.

"What are you doing?" She asked as she took my hand and stood. I didn't answer however, and took out my horse call. In an instant I blew the familiar notes into it as Zelda watched in silence. A few seconds passed until we heard the echoing of hooves into the woods. Soon Epona appeared before us and I subconsciously ran my hand through her light mane.

"She'll take you back to the castle," I said to Zelda. The light wind ran through the robe she still wore and she hesitated.

"What will you do?" She asked me. I smiled and adjusted the saddle on Epona. I knew perfectly well what I was going to do.

"I'll be fine, trust me." I extended my hand and she grasped it again as she hoisted herself up on the horse's back.

"Thank you Link." She spoke softly and standing next to Epona, I gazed up at her to see a small spark of a light in her eyes. There was my sun.

"Of course."

She smiled and urged Epona forward. I watched as she rode out of the woods and found myself feeling more relaxed than I previously had been.

Once she had left I took back out my stone and closed my eyes as I again transformed into the blue eyed beast. All fours hit the ground, and I launched myself forward, following where Zelda had went. Apparently I had ran further than I thought, for it took me a while until I finally arrived back at the castle grounds. For a second I considered going back to my bed chambers, but instead my mind led me elsewhere.

"I just want to make sure she arrived safely", I told myself. I padded silently across the grass until I finally came upon the window I had been searching for. Staring at it, I noticed a faint yellow glow from the window indicating a lit candle. So she was in there.

That should have been it. The confirmation that she was indeed safe should have been enough to let me leave, but there was just something compelling me to stay.

It was in there, and I knew it, the sun that balanced my twilight.

A brief movement caught my attention as the doors to her balcony gently opened, revealing herself now in a clean nightgown. Her eyes immediately caught onto mine and she walked to the edge where she leaned over the railing.

"You're safe," was all she said at first, with a smile that didn't quite reach her red eyes.

I gazed at her and nodded my head slightly. I could picture this moment in the eyes of another: the princess was leaning down her balcony talking to a menacing beast, and assuring its safety. I smiled slightly imagining just how mad the princess had to seem.

"Link," her voice took on a quieter but more serious tone as her eyes still held mine, "do you think you could turn back, you know..."

I understood exactly what she meant and focused as the shadows slowly left me, leaving me more slender and able to stand on my two legs.

"What is it Princess?" There was that attitude of mine the second I stepped back into the castle grounds. I almost wished to be back in the woods again where we could simply talk to no end, just Zelda and I.

Apparently she had the same thing on her mind.

"Would you like to talk?" she indicated over to some ivy that had grown past her balcony and I already understood.

Quickly I lunged forward and grasped onto the plant that spread up the bricks. Trying to be nimble I grasped handful after handful of the stringy plant until I finally came to her balcony. Leaping off, I landed in a crouch by her feet but brought myself up to her level.

This was risky. If anyone were to see us as we were now there'd be no getting ourselves out. She seemed to think the same thing too as she slowly stepped towards her door. "Why don't we go inside?"

I followed her and shut the door until we were finally in the comfort of her room. There was a lit fireplace that brought warmth into the room along with a luxurious couch in front of it. Her room seemed just like her with the many shelves of books that were neatly placed side by side. Of course the whole room seemed so neat as if no one was really inhabiting it. Aside from the grand bed and the comforting atmosphere the fireplace gave off, one might mistake this for an office rather than a bedroom.

She led me to the couch and we sat on opposite sides. "How are you feeling?" I asked, obviously talking about the engagement.

"Slightly better. Though I'd rather not think of it at the moment if that is alright."

"Of course." If anything, not talking about the situation helped me as well.

"How are you?" She bluntly asked. I was almost taken aback, wondering if she meant something else. Were we going to mention what happened in the woods just a few moments ago, or was that to be forgotten, I wondered.

"I suppose I'm doing fairly well." Silence followed and I shifted slightly in the seat. "Why do you ask?"

She looked down at her hands in her lap and sighed slightly. "I suppose I just realized I haven't gotten to talk to you much lately. I apologize for that, I try my best to balance my work but sometimes it's impossible to catch up with it."

"That's quite alright. I never blamed you." Understanding her current situation, I knew it had to be hard to do anything but work at the moment. "Although I do miss our time together."

She glanced up to me with a smile that finally met her eyes just slightly. "I do too. I've learned to treasure the time I spend with you. You seem to bring out a side of me I didn't know I had."

"I feel honored, Zelda." As shocking as it was to hear her say, I had to admit I'd grown to feel the same way. I was always trying to be a warrior when I was training other knights, and of course during the war. While Ilia allowed me to open up to her back in Ordon, after the war I felt as though I had no one to talk to without Midna. But then there was Zelda. The time I had spent in the castle not only was spent assuming general of the knights, but also finally opening up to the princess herself.

"I want to thank you for everything you've done," I told her, "for allowing me a place in the castle and an opportunity to open up to you. I may not express it enough, but you mean a lot to me." For some reason that was harder to say than it should have been. For one thing, my heart was beating rapidly in my chest just from those few words. I had never felt this way before and it almost frightened me.

In the silence following, I looked over to Zelda only to see her facing the opposite direction of me.

"Zelda, is everything alright?"

Finally she sprung up from the couch only to walk away towards the other side of the room. I instinctively followed her curious as to what was wrong.

"You shouldn't have come here," she said. Her voice quivered and I gently placed a hand on her shoulder from behind. Upon contact, her head turned slightly just enough for me to see the shimmering tear on her cheek.

"Zelda, is this about the engagement?" I cautiously asked. She turned her head back down and finally turned towards me so my hand fell to my side.

"It's not important. I just wish you'd leave me alone." My eyes widened as shock from her words finally settled in. Her eyes didn't shed another tear as though they had reached their capacity and now she just appeared hurt and worn. I started heading towards the balcony doors but her soft voice halted me.

"Wait."

I turned back around only to find her fists by her side and she finally looked up at me.

"Do you know what you do to me?" Her voice was strained and I walked towards her, wondering what she could possibly mean.

"Zelda I-"

"No." I immediately grew quiet and watched as she stepped closer to me. "You show up in my life only to ruin everything about it. But the thing is, none of it is your fault!" I ruined her life? What could she possibly mean? My chest felt tight as her words continued tumbling out.

"It's their fault! They're the ones who ruined everything about it! And now even as I look at you it hurts."

I took her shaking fist in mine and unclenched her fingers to intertwine them with my own.

"Who, Zelda?"

"The councilmen!" The councilmen? What did they have to do with me? "I had grown to care for you so much. To the point where I wondered if you felt the same way." Her voice finally grew softer as she continued and she glanced down at our hands. "I love you, but they ruined everything."

I felt lost as I stared into her eyes. Had she really just said that? My chest unclenched suddenly to the point where I went from high adrenaline to feeling as though I were swimming underwater. There was something in the way she looked at me with her mouth slightly parted and her chest rising and falling quicker than usual that told me I hadn't misheard her. She loves me. The princess of Hyrule loves me, and she was to marry a near stranger far too soon.

She glanced at me attentively and I felt her hand slightly loosen in my own before I clenched it even tighter. Something about that one motion caused her breath to hitch and without warning I wrapped my arm around her waist to bring her to me.

This kiss felt right. There was something new and wonderful about it in the warmth of the fire rather than out in the cold surrounded my trees and rain. She sighed against my lips and I slowly lost my poise as her mouth opened to bear entrance to my tongue. I let go of her hand only to pull her closer to myself, as though never letting go. A groan rose from my mouth soon to be greeted by her own hand pressing against my clothed chest between us.

I pulled apart from her only to breath as I gazed down into her shimmering eyes. Her hot breath skated across my face as she too struggled to catch a breath.

"Zelda," I said, running my hand down her hair, "I love you too." Without enough time to see her reaction I leaned forward to place a kiss on her forehead, then her cheek, then gently on the corner of her lips as I nuzzled into her neck, embracing her.

"Maybe," her arms tightened around me and she tilted her head slightly as I gently kissed the delecate skin on her neck. "Maybe we can make this work out," she mumbled in a soft voice.

I inhaled sharply and pressed her against the wall that was only a few steps behind her. Her pale skin reflected against the moonlight and the shadows of the fire danced across it every so often. She really was beautiful with the light and shadows skating across her body. My lips trailed down her delicate skin to the ridge of her collarbone as I grinned between kisses.

"Do you really think that, _princess_?" My tone had a hint of bitterness to it that she seemed to catch onto. Surely the councilmen wouldn't let this "work out," not with a man like me and a woman like her, and she knew this.

"But maybe, just maybe-"

"No." I smoothed back her hair and pulled away slightly to gaze down into her azure eyes. "It's near impossible, my love." Those words struck Zelda and I noticed her eyes grow glossy for a second before she pressed her hand to my chest, gripping the cloth of my tunic.

"Surely life would be fair to us."

"Has it proven to be yet?" I asked her. We've suffered tremendously only to have everything crashing down on us. First the twilight, then Midna, now the marriage. Life couldn't be fair and I wasn't sure if she would ever realize that. She seemed silenced by my words as she stared up at me, her face scanning my own. She already knew the answer, but neither of us could seem to face the truth .

Finally she pressed her lips to mine, this time far more feverish than before. I reciprocated the kiss, giving her an equal if not stronger force. I placed a hand next to her on the wall to give us stability while the other pulled her into me. She bit down on my lip slightly, and I moaned in response to the sudden pleasure that erupted through my body. Her hands discovered every inch of my torso until I felt one slip under my tunic, hesitantly taking in the warmth of my body.

"I love you." She whispered as our lips parted every so often. I smiled as I pressed our foreheads together and relished in the sound of those words coming out of her mouth.

"You are my everything," I told her as I scaled down her neck with my lips. I sucked gently on the skin between her neck and shoulder, releasing a light moan from her as she tugged slightly on my tunic. I understood the silent message and separated from her only to pull the tunic over my head.

As I dropped it to the ground by our feet she inspected my now bare chest, tracing each scar that lined my body. Her breath shuddered ever so slightly as she rested her hand against my heart, taking in the steady beat of it. I placed my hand over her own that seemed to bring her attention back to my face. "Those aren't important right now," I said as her eyes darted back to the pink scars across my body. I continued kissing down her neck as her hands roamed my chest and abdomen, feeling as she discovered how my muscles clenched under her feather light touch.

As my hand ran across her shoulder I caught the strap of her gown, slowly moving it down her arm to expose more skin. She suddenly seemed to take the lead as she pushed me back with her hands, leading me backwards. I stepped back as my fingers played with the lace ties of her gown, delicately unknotting it. I brought my lips back up to meet her own as I did this, absorbing each pleasure filled sigh and feeling her gentle hands against my body.

In the back of my mind I knew she was leading me to her bed, but each rational thought that might have told me to leave was repeatedly driven out of my mind until I bumped into the end table by her bed.

It wouldn't have been enough to bring me back to my senses if it hadn't been for the feeling of something falling followed by an echoing _clank_. I immediately knew the sound of it hitting the floor and jerked away suddenly, scanning her frozen face.

Her eyes never left mine and she seemed to be searching for words, but never found any. My mouth felt dry and I wondered what had just taken place. "Your crown fell," I said with apprehension. A few breaths passed before she nodded her head, swallowing deeply.

"What are we doing?" I asked. Her gown was only held by a loose knot in the back and her face had paled at the realization of what had happened. "What am _I_ doing?" How did we get so lost in everything? She was to be _married_ soon, and here I was about to do goddesses know what with her.

She was the princess, I reminded myself, and I was nothing.

"You're right," I said as I backed away from her. "I should never have come here." My heart ached as I slowly made my way to the balcony doors. I love her so much it hurts, but I was never supposed to be with her.

"Link, please I-" but it was too late, I already opened the doors and stood on the balcony with my back to her. "I'm sorry Zelda." I wanted to tell her everything; I'm sorry for tonight. I'm sorry for leaving you like this, but most of all, I'm sorry for loving you. I swung my legs over the edge of the railing and turning back to catch her wide perfect azure eyes, I pushed myself off.

I closed my eyes as I fell and for a second I considered meeting the ground as harshly as I deserved, but sure enough I turned into a wolf for the third time that night and landed gracefully on all fours. As soon as my paws hit the ground I launched myself forward and ran.

Where I was going, I had no idea, but I knew I wasn't going back. So I ran far away from everything and everybody to the one place I could possibly escape to.

 ** _Present Day_**

I can feel the presence on the other side of the door, and I wonder whether they're going to make the first move. Perhaps it isn't Rusl, judging by the hesitation on the other side; but then who else would it be at an hour as late as this?

My breathing comes out in ragged breaths and I can feel my hands twitch with my impatience. Without another moment to spare I decide to put an end to this whole thing and grip the doorknob, pulling the door towards myself.

For a second, just a second, I stand with my knuckles white over the doorknob not moving, not even breathing, as I stare at the figure on the other side. The cold wind bites at my bare chest from the doorway and I know she's not suited for the weather as she stands before me in the same gown she wore earlier. Staring at her now, it feels like forever since I last saw her even though it's been only hours since I left.

"Princess." I finally let go of the door and step aside only so she can get out of the bitter cold. She hesitantly steps inside and I slam the door shut, not taking my eyes off of her. "What are you doing here?" As stone as I'm trying to be with my emotions I'm not able to hide the hint of worry in my voice that she could have possibly gotten hurt traveling here alone. She doesn't seem to think much of it and I notice she's holding something as she thrusts it towards me.

"Thought you might want these," she says as she holds out my folded green tunic with my sword and shield laying over it. I take the bundle in my arms and turn to set them down on the table behind me before turning back to her.

"That's not the only reason you came, hell, you could have just given that to the postman." I step closer to her to the point where I look down into her eyes. "Zelda, why are you here?" She balls her one hand into a fist and I notice the other has her crown in it. Why is it in her hand? I wonder if she didn't take it off before I opened the door, but whatever the reason she now stands defiant with her elegant crown merely hanging off of her fingers.

"Honestly, why do you think I came Link?" I actually don't have anything to say as I stand silent so close to her that I can smell the jasmine and scent of parchment that I had always associated with her. "Why would you leave like that?" I'm still silent and she finally snaps with just a hint of authority in her voice. "Goddesses, answer me Link!"

"What we did can never happen Zelda, and you know that!" My voice raises but of course it's not because of her. Why would it ever be because of her? She was the one who stated earlier back in her room how it's the councilmen that ruin everything. She's still for a few moments before she raises her head to meet my eyes. I try to resist the feeling in my chest at the knowledge that I could easily lean down just slightly to close the gap between us.

"That's why I came here, because I realize I don't give a damn about the councilmen and the suitors anymore." I can feel her soft breath on my face, so gentle and light as it teases my lips. "When I'm with you Link, it's like we're the only people in the world. I want that feeling all the time because you're the only person to make me forget about being a princess. You're the only one that matters to me."

I have to step away. I can see the hurt in her eyes as I take a step back due to the swelling feeling in my chest making me unable to think straight. For some reason no words come to me.

Zelda grips the crown tighter in her hand and looks down to her feet. "Did you mean what you said back then, about how you love me?" Those words make me snap my attention back to her almost in astonishment. She was questioning my feelings that I confessed back in a moment like that?

"I'm a man of my word, Zelda. Don't you have that triforce of wisdom for a reason?" I finally allow a gentle smile to surface on my face as she appears taken aback by my words. A slow blush spreads from her ears to her nose and her grip on her crown loosens slightly.

"Then tell me Link, what's the most important thing to you?" Her eyes pierce my own and there's that feeling of being underwater again. Normally I would be cautious in a time like this, but instead I step forward until I can feel her against me and lean down just as our lips are about to touch.

"You, Zelda," I say, her eyes taking up all of my vision. My heart's finally made its decision as my sun is brought back into my life again. I've never felt so whole without her. I don't need anything in my life if it doesn't contain Zelda in it, and I just want her to understand that. I still don't bring our lips together because that's not my decision to make.

"It's your choice Zelda." She looks up at me questionably but I simply place my hand on her cheek. "If you really care for me that much, if you would go against the wishes of all the councilmen and nobles then do it. I know you, and I know that every decision you make is planned out with intellect and careful judgement, so you'll choose the right one."

With those words, with the steady rise of her chest against mine, she seals our fate as I feel those lips I've been craving for join my own.

I latch onto this feeling and my hand runs down her arm until I reach the hand that holds the crown. In an instant she intertwines her fingers with my own and not even the sound of her crown hitting the floor is enough to break our trance.

I decide as her hand tangles in my hair that _nothing_ will be separating the two of us. She leans back slightly and gazes up at me with melodious laughter that escapes her red lips.

"No one will keep me away from you," she whispers, and I steal a quick kiss before leaning down so my lips graze her ear. "Goddesses save anyone who tries."

 **Author's note:** Thanks for reading and be sure to leave a review! It's super helpful! I hope to continue writing more often so let me know what you think and also check out Bittersweet if you haven't and let me know your thoughts on that. Until next time!


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